Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-09-17
CARLOADS OF MONEY.
Gold and silver in tnclc sans Treasury in
Iucomprchcnsiblc Quantities.

Gold and silver in Uncle sans Treasury III
Iucomprchcnsiblc Quantities.
Few persons, perhaps, who read the
frequently published reports of the ifs
cal operations of the Government give
any consideration to the yastncss and
significance of these operations. 1t is
only when the aurilcrous contents of
the treasury vaults are weighed and
measured and placed by the ,idco art
iclcS and commodities that are daily
handled by the masses, that an intclli-
gent comprehension can be obtained by
the people VI the financial strength of
the treasury and the great extent q
the Governments fiscal operations,
| tind by reference to the latest pub
li>hcd statement of treasury assets and
liabilities that among the assets was
$2Sl, O96, ~ in gold and nearly $780,
100000 in silver, including $1,000, 600
Of trade dollars and fractional coins.
Taking up this S2Sl, 600, 1000 / gold and
placing it on scales | find that the gold
held by the Treasury weighed SO tons,
and if packed into ordinary carts. one
ton to each cart, it would make a pro-
ccssiou two miles long, allowing twenty
feet of space for the movement of each
horse and cart.
The weighing Of the silver produces
much more interesting results. Run
ming thi, over the scales. | find its
weight to be 1896 tons. Measuring it
in carts, a. in the case Of the gold, the
silver now held by the Treasury would
require the services of 1896 horses and
carts to transport it, and would make
a procession over twcnty-onc miles in
length. The surplus about which so
much is said in the daily newspapers
amounts to nearly$l7,0 00, 600. Counted
rs gold, the surplus would weigh S6@
tons. Counted as silvcrit would weigh
1855 tons, Each million of gold adds
$3.50 pounds to the surplus, and each
million of silver adds IS, $50 pounds.
Apply cubic measurement to the
Treasury gold and silver and piling the
two metals on Pennsylvania avenue as
cordwood is piled before delivery To
the purchaser, | find that the gold
would measure thirty-sevcn cords and
the silver 1870 cords, and that botl
would extend from the Treasury De
partmcnt to -Four and n Half street, OF
from the Treasury TO the Pension Onic'
in II straight line, and forming n soil,
wall eight feet high and four fee
broad.
Extending these calculations an,
comparisons TO the intcrcst-bcarin!
debt, equally interesting results ar,
obtained. The public debt reached TIL,
highest point in August, ls65-twent,
two years ago. when it was x2.3Sl $50,
2Oj. The general reader will bette
appreciate the vastncss of this sun
when informed that it represents 20, ID
TINS " silver, which would makeap pro
ccssiDn Of carts that would eNtcn,
from Richmond, Va, TO u point lively
miles north Of Philadelphia, the dis
lnncc II would thus cover being 26
miles, The Understanding debt i
now mot including the Pacific %railroa'
bonds) $l.00l, 976, $50, showing tina
the sum paid has been Sl,379, 55S, 4i5
al, ,4..u, Chm An, half sc tl,, tatp
! amount, and representing 1867 ton
} Of silver dollars, which would extern
I l5i miles if packed in carts containin
one ton each.
! Reducing the figures to n basis whcr
they may be intclligcntly compr,
hcndcd, and that the rapidity wit
which the Government has reduced il
bonded debt may be fully realized b
the general reader, | find that the l.,
dction has been ut the averaged raj
; of $62, FOG, 975 each year, g., 225,5e
each month, $l7i,lS6 each day, 1925
II each hour, and 1920, II for every minut
of the entire twenty-five years. Pu
u suing the calculation to the smallc'
: divisiblc space Of time, the bondc
debt of the United States has been d,
creased at the rate Of $2.00,7 for eve,
second or for every swing of the PEI
dulum, for the entire period from A,
7 gust 81, 1868, to July 81, I8S7.-co
: Chicago Netcs.
Cattle chcvv houes boc,uso IA, 10